In recent years, the concept of ‘swaps’ has become increasingly popular in the Indian entertainment industry. From Shah Rukh Khan swapping his romantic hero persona for an action hero role in his upcoming film ‘Pathaan’ to actor Tiger Shroff’s decision to switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola’s zero sugar variant Coke Zero, this trend has surely taken the industry by storm. And it is this transition that has been captured in the recent ad for Coke Zero, directed by Afshan Hussain Shaikh from Good Morning Films.
In the ad, Shroff is seen wearing a red jacket that resembles the iconic colour of Coke Zero and is surprised to learn about the beverage. The moment he takes a sip, he is lost in it and in the melodious track of the remixed version of ‘Hothon Pe Bas’ by the late Lata Mangeshkar. The visuals that follow are arresting and perfectly capture Shroff’s feelings when he drinks Coke Zero.
Afshan Shaikh, who was in charge of directing the ad, reveals that the team had originally planned to use another song by Mangeshkar but the rights to it were too expensive. The team then went to another record company, researched tracks and selected ‘Hothon Pe Bas’ as the best from the lot. The track was remixed by composer Ross Koopmans.
Afshan Shaikh adds that the team wanted to show Shroff not as an action star but as a regular, everyday guy. The ad was shot in 10-12 days in November 2022 and the team kept one day after the shoot for the bottle shots.
Sukesh Nayak, chief creative officer at Ogilvy, reveals that “Coca-Cola wanted a brand ambassador and Shroff was a great fit”. He further adds that they are currently taking this idea forward and working on an experience.
Coke Zero is not the only zero-sugar carbonated beverage in the market. Last year, Coca-Cola’s rival PepsiCo released an India-specific ad for its zero sugar variant Pepsi Black, starring actress Jacqueline Fernandez.
The ad was a remake of Pepsi’s iconic 1992 gas station ad, featuring American supermodel Cindy Crawford.
It is commendable how the team at Coke Zero and Ogilvy were able to capture the emotions of the actor and the transition he has made to the brand. The visuals, the music and the story arc are all very engaging and make the ad stand out from the rest. The ad is definitely a visual treat and is sure to win the hearts of viewers.
